Given the concern over the possible harmful effects of high concentrations of various volatile organic solvents in the environment, the prevailing high cost of energy in general, and the increasing cost and scarcity of petroleum based energy sources in particular, there has arisen a need in the coatings industry for coating compositions which contain ever lower concentrations of volatile organic materials and which are based to an ever decreasing degree on expensive petroleum based components.
However, previous approaches to meet all three of the above challenges generally have involved compromises among desirable coating composition parameters such as high molecular weight of the principal film forming components, viscosity of the principal film-forming resin, application viscosity of the coating composition, low curing temperature, and desirable properties of the cured film such as water and humidity resistance, solvent resistance, hardness, flexibility, etc.
It would be desirable to produce coating compositions which contain low levels of volatile organic solvents, have low application viscosities, contain less petroleum based components, and yet cure to produce films having desirable features.
In general, most known polyols useful in coating formulations are derived in largest measure from petroleum based components. Additionally, as the molecular weight of generally available polyols increases, the viscosity also tends to rapidly increase. High viscosity of the principal film forming components represents a very real limitation on the usefulness of such components in high solids coating formulations. The present invention is directed to providing novel polyols and coating compositions containing these polyols in which a number of the above problems are lessened.